Howdy. Did you ever get rid of a rifle and kick yourself every day for it. I did about two years ago A rem 788 in 3/08 boy that rifle would shoot. Well as luck would have it after some haggleing im gonna trade my 7/08 and get my old gun back . The rifle is in maine right now my buddy is going there next month and gonna bring it back :D. I can't wait im like a kid at xmas time. Its a rem 788 in 3/08, synthetic stock, bedded, free floated, 18 1/2 " carbine barrel with a 3-9 leupold varix 11 with red field bases. I know that rifle like the back of my hand. I got lucky to be able to get it back i won't part with it again!!

Hi Joe,
It's only been 2 years for you....you'll never get over it. I sold a Rem 700 BDL in 22-250 back in '85. I still have nightmares about it. It was by far the best rifle I ever owned. It was a tack driver that never had a factory round through it. I killed more groundhogs than I can possibly remember. I ran into some tough economic times (divorce and such) and needed the money. I've made up my mind after that.....no matter if I have to second mortgage the homestead, I'll never sell another gun.

Blaine

Hello Joe,

That Rem. 788 was really something. I don't for a minute believe Remington ever thought it would be so accurate or sell so well. It certainly wasn't a looker and had a few quirks, like the bolt handles that would break off on occasion. However it sold very well, especially when people found out it would often shoot as well as the much more expensive Rem 700BDL. Some of these old 788s were real tackdrivers. I wish Remington has not decided to discontinue it. I'd hold on to it this time. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

shrpshrtjoe,
You are mighty fortunate to be able to recover a favorite firearm. Usually when they go away it is forever. The Remington 788 was an interesting gun and they sell quickly when they hit the used gun racks. All the best...
Gil

calsibley wrote:

Hello Joe, However it sold very well, especially when people found out it would often shoot as well as the much more expensive Rem 700BDL. ... I wish Remington has not decided to discontinue it.

That's why it was discontinued. The trick was the faster lock time and nice tight lockup. If they'd bring it back at the same price as the 700's it would still outsell the 700's among the riflemen.

Howdy. I am very lucky to be able to get that gun back even more so in a trade i would never tell the owner but i would have traded more to get it back. I have wanted it back since the day i sold it. I am lucky to just to have bin able to keep track of the rifle its in (maine). I have taken 17 deer in two different states and spent countless hours at the range with that rifle. Its hard to find a gun that shoots like this one and i have all the reloading eq for it. That rifle has bin with me on so many deer hunts just thinking about it brings back a flood of memories i'm glad its coming home and i won't be stupid enough to part with it again

Hi Joe,

You are one lucky puppy being able to get your old 788 back. I have five now and am always on the look out for more. I made the mistake and let two get away from me but they were to a good cause. They both went to a friend on mine who is a gunsmith. The first one went to him after I kind of borrowed one of his. I told him I lost his in the back of my van. When he asked me what I ment? I told him to never let me shoot one of his guns that was more accurate than the ones that I have. I ended up trading another 788 and a small lathe for his. He still keeps teasing me about stealing that rifle. I explained to him that I didn't steal it, I aquired it!

The second 788 I had, I traded for another 788. This guy wanted a longer barreled 788 while he had a short barreled one. I was just going to trade him barrels as I was going to use the action for a custom project but he said he'd trade me for the whole gun. He gave me another $150 for the scope and ammo I had for it. I felt kind of bad as he only had about 2 boxes through his rifle. I then went over to my gunsmith friend who was looking for a carbine one for himself. I asked him if he needed a set of Redfield bases for a 788 and he said yes. Then I told him that the rifle had to go with it. He asked me how much I wanted for it and I said nothing! He just finished a custom 6.5/06 for me and didn't charge me any labor. It's the least I could do for him.

I still tease him about that Piece Of Crap 788 I got from him. I can't get to shoot under 1/2" at 200 yards. He keeps telling me to bring it back but I know better, ha ha.

Catch you later,

The Big Dog

I wish that I could get another 788 in 7MM 08, sweet rifle, bob do I miss it!!!

Howdy. Just went and got my 788 back she looks just like it did two years ago it apears to have bin well taken care of, can't wait to get to the range and shoot it again, damn im happy

I just found my next project gun , I had a 788 7mm 08 years ago and sold it to a buddy who needed a deer rifle immediatly. It was two days before season and he was gunless....I sold the 788 on the condition that I would have the first chance to buy it back. Well theres no chance of that now he wont part with it. Ive looked for a similar rifle for thirteen years now.....well last weekend at a local gun show I stole one , or at least I feel like I did. Id decided ahead of time that any 788 in good shape was going to come home with me. lo and behold I found a 1973 6mm in great condition , I didnt want to seem desperate so I gave it the once over and continued on my way.......400 and some booths later and it was the only 788 id seen , so I went back to talk $$$. To make a long story short I gave a small price for a lot of gun. The blueing hasnt even worn off from the lugs yet. it looks like it was built last week. My trigger is off to texas for some machining and I just finished glass bedding the action on a composite stock I shot it a few times before disassembly and was very happy with the results , while it will never take the place of my first 788 it fits nicely in my gun cabinet.....and feels like an old friend already.......Karl

FYI... Warren Page points out in his book written years ago called "The Accurate Rifle" that one of the main reasons that the 788 is so accurate is that it has one of the fastest lock times of any production rifle.

Best Regards,

John

If I remember correctly, the 788 had an average calculated lock time of around 1.70 ms compared to the 700's 2.70. Thats one reason Savage is rapidly becomming known for one of the top OOTB accurate rifles with a 1.68ms /3.7 lbs force.
If there was one drawback with the design it was the 9 locking lugs, where it was normal for only 3 or 4 making full contact. One comment was the 788 would develop a slight headspace when firing top loads, which wasn't so much a matter of action strength, but the lugs wearing in with time. I had a 22 BR built on one many years ago that took quite a bit of time lapping to get 7 of the 9 making contact 100%.
Rumor has it Remington ceased production of the 788 because of it's out of the box accuracy edge over the flagship 700. If thats fact or fantacy, no one may know for sure. In the early days of Hunter class BR, the 788 action was the choice for many rifles. Today the more pouplar calibers sell in the range of $300-$500, depending on condition. The less common chamberings like 30-30 or 44 mag , 600-800, sometimes more for the 44. At the last auction there was an "as-new" 30-30. I didn't stay long enough to see what it sold for, but talked to one guy that was going to go 750 on it. As an indication, the going price for a 30-30 magazine is $125, a 44, $150 and up!

Bill

Howdy. I have heard different reasons, that they out shot the 700s, that the locking mech was to expensive to make, who knows, i love mine . had a buddie that was collecting them and was going through a divorce and i think his wife got them he had two in each caliber that they offered. Thats enough to make ya sick

Heck....if his wife got them in a divorce then I just learned a new lesson. Buy two of everything and only let the wife know of one of each!

John

I picked up a 788 in 222rem from a close friend who, bought it used for 250.00, shot factory rem ammo, shot around 1 1/2, so he said I not going to Keep it, you want it ? yup, well being a used gun, I tried some Hornady factory ammo, that shot pretty good out of my Savage 340 in 222rem and it shot 3/4 inch, broke out the dies' and I have two loads 52gr and 55gr that shoot in the .2's
It's ranks among my two most accurate rifle's I own.

BIGGEST SCREW UP ... I sold a Heckler & Koch SP89 assault pistol, one of two shipped to Vt before the Ban. They stopped importing them, then they banned them. Well this pistol cost 950 dealer back then, I paid 1000, sold it for 900 because I didn't need and then watched the price go up to $4000